16 Thought-Provoking Netflix Documentaries That Blow Your Mind

There's nothing more relaxing than kicking back with a pint of ice cream, your most comfortable groutfit (gray outfit) and your favorite Netflix series. Sometimes, however, it can be good to switch things up and maybe watching something other than Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives on a lazy Saturday.

Especially recently, there are a ton of new Netflix documentary movies and series that will keep you intrigued. They cover everything from nature, crime, food, travel — pretty much any topic your brain could think of, there's a documentary on it. So, if you're in the mood to watch something a little more educational and informative (but no less interesting), here's just a sampling of some of the most mind-blowing documentaries that Netflix has to offer.

1. It Might Get Loud

Sony Pictures

This is hands-down one of the coolest/most underrated documentaries available on Netflix. While we tend to prefer series because they're more in depth, It Might Get Loud is exactly what we're looking for. The doc explored the lives and histories of three of the world’s most influential rock musicians: Jimmy Page (of Led Zeppelin), Jack White (of The White Stripes) and The Edge (of U2).

Each artist visits their hometowns and talks about their musical backgrounds, including the struggles they overcame to go from struggling musicians to rock and roll icons. For just a hint of what this documentary is like, the first scene shows Jack White building an electric guitar out of a piece of wood, a wire, and a coke bottle. It’s amazing.

2. George Harrison: Living in the Material World

HBO

Whether or not you’re a fan of The Beatles, this super-popular documentary is now available on Netflix, and you should most definitely watch it. It’s a six-time Emmy nominee, and once you see it you’ll understand why. George is often one of the most overlooked Beatles, but his story just might be the most interesting.

This documentary shows a lot of how his travels to India affected him spiritually, mentally and musically. He was the most spiritual of the group by far, which influenced a lot of their later music.

3. The Sixties

CNN

And finally, a Netflix documentary about one of the most talked-about time periods in recent history — The Sixties. The show not only looks at stereotypical hippie culture, it also talks about all the goings-on in politics, technology and social revolution that shaped the iconic decade. It talks a lot about how important the sixties were in shaping how we view the government today — being a hippie meant being a serious rebel. It’s easy to forget all the turmoil and violence that occurred in that time period since it usually gets washed out by all of the Woodstock, ~love revolution~ and trippy ideas about the time.

4. Amanda Knox

Netflix

For those of you not familiar with the infamous Amanda Knox trial, this Netflix documentary explains it all in depth. Even if you did follow the trial, Amanda Knox shows in-depth and unseen interviews with Knox, her boyfriend and many other people involved in the trial. Much like Making a Murderer, the film gives an unusual perspective on the trial. It basically gives the accused a chance to further defend/explain themselves, in the aftermath of a completely public trial in which the mass media found them guilty. It’s crazy stuff, and makes you really think about the whole trial. Despite claims that the filmmakers showed a biased view, the people who watched it all came to different conclusions about the verdict.

5. Making a Murderer

Netflix

If you know anything about Netflix Original Series, then you’ve definitely heard of Making a Murderer. If you’re not familiar with the story, it follows Steven Avery, who was convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder until he was fully exonerated in 2003 based on DNA evidence. BUT, in a shocking plot twist, Avery had been arrested again just two years after with murder charges.

The documentary basically blew the entire country’s mind upon its release, causing tons of controversy and uproar over whether he was guilty or innocent. There was even a petition to The White House calling for Avery’s pardon. This series is well-done, especially considering it covers pretty much the entire chain of events spanning over ten years.

6. Killer Kids

The Biography Channel

This Netflix documentary series is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. The Candian show looks at various crimes (typically murders) enacted by — you guess it — kids. As the description states, it looks at everything from “hate crimes and occult slayings to gang initiations.”

This series is another pretty disturbing one, especially because these crimes are somehow even more shocking when you remember they’re committed by children. What’s super interesting about Killer Kids, however, is how it looks into the pathology/psychology of the children involved in these crimes. We will say the one kind of annoying thing about the series is that it’s narrated by ... a child? Which seems a little silly and gimmicky given the nature of the show but alas, can't win 'em all.

7. Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer

Netflix

Again, another pretty self-explanatory Netflix series about serial killers. Basically if you’re at all interested in crime, serial killers and the psychology behind murder — this series is pretty straightforward in how it deals with all of these issues. It talks a lot about many of the common patterns of behavior and childhoods of serial killers, which is super interesting. Warning, though — it may make you suddenly think that about 50% of the people you interact with on a daily basis could be serial killers.

8. The Keepers

Netflix

Okay, this documentary is not for the faint of heart. The Keepers follows the story of Sister Cathy Cesnick’s murder in 1969. As a nun teaching in the Baltimore Archdiocese, many attribute Cathy’s murder to her knowledge about serial sexual abuse within the school system.

This Netflix documentary series interviews survivors of abuse, law enforcement officials, and coworkers and friends of Cathy to unravel the highly-disturbing tales of sexual abuse, violence, and corruption that Cathy may have been murdered over. The stories are pretty disturbing, which means this series is definitely not recommended for all audiences. What’s craziest about this documentary is the interviews with now-elderly officials suspected of being involved in the abuse and murder. We get to watch them tell their stories (and potentially, lies) firsthand to the interviewers.

9. Chef's Table

Netflix

For something more lighthearted, we recommend the Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table. This series follows chefs from all over the world who have found success based on their signature styles of cuisine. Seeing the ways these chefs use food as a medium is super fascinating. They look at food as an art form and use ingredients in unimaginable and creative ways.

From New York to Japan, this show investigates chefs from every background they can find. Chef's Table is great to watch even if you don’t consider yourself a foodie — watching these chefs work is seriously impressive, and seeing the way culture and history impact food is really thought-provoking.

10. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

CNN

No one does documentaries like food personality Anthony Bourdain. He’s outgoing, wild, and does not mess around when it comes to food. He’s basically the bad boy of food documentaries, if that’s even a thing.

Parts Unknown follows Anthony Bourdain on his world travels as he seeks out the most obscure, authentic local food he can find in places you may have never even heard of. If you’re still not convinced, this show has won five Emmy Awards and has been nominated for 11. Basically, when it comes to travel/cuisine shows, it doesn’t get more raw and real than this.

11. Planet Earth

BBC

If you love documentaries, or if you’ve owned a TV at any point &dash; you’ve probably heard of Planet Earth. This series debuted in 2006 and is probably the most impressively-produced series you’ll ever see, most likely because it was the most expensive nature documentary ever commissioned by the BBC.

The best news? It’s now a Netflix documentary! That’s right, the entire first season is streamable. Each episode looks at a different environment/biome, showing the crazy animals and plants that inhabit the area — all narrated by the most soothing voice you will ever hear. Seriously, this show will make you feel unbelievably relaxed while simultaneously blowing your mind.

12. Into the Inferno

Netflix

This is another super cool Netflix documentary about nature. This film looks at an often unexplored aspect of the Earth — volcanoes. Into the Inferno talks about some of the most well-known and mystical volcanoes on Earth. Not only do they have scientists and professionals explain all the technical, physical stuff — the show talks a lot about legends surrounding volcanoes and how humans have interacted with them in history. Plus, even if you don’t fully understand all the science of it, the visuals in this documentary are mind-blowing.

13. The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans

BBC

If you’’re a fan of Planet Earth or nature documentaries in general, you should definitely check out The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the oceans. This one will definitely blow your mind in the best way possible. It might seem obvious, but The Blue Planet will make you realize how truly vast, diverse and mysterious the oceans and our planet truly are. It’s practically a whole other world under there!

Surprisingly action-packed for a nature documentary, scenes featuring predators and underwater chase scenes are not rare. Plus, it features the same soothing British narration from David Attenborough.

14. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

Fox

When it comes to documentaries about space and time, no one does it like Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Whether or not you’re familiar with astrophysicist-turned-internet celebrity Neil Degrasse Tyson — you will definitely become a fan after watching this series. To sum it up, the show explores the entire history of the universe (no biggie). It can honestly be pretty mind-blowing (and slightly anxiety-inducing) at times, but it will definitely put your whole life into perspective. Suddenly that laundry list of things you've got to do this week seems less stressful when you remember that the entire history of our planet is merely a drop in the bucket when compared to the existence of the entire universe!

15. An Idiot Abroad

BBC

This is one of the more rare, comedic Netflix documentary series. The show had three seasons and ended in 2012, but it’s just as funny now as when it first aired. The whole premise is pretty brilliant. An English entertainer with zero experience in global travel named Karl Pilkington is sent to different destinations all over the world by the creators of the show, Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais. The first season follows Pilkington as he travels to the new Seven Wonders of the World, and experiences all of the cultural differences (and subsequent awkwardness) he must navigate. This show was super popular in Britain, and understandably so... it's hilarious.

16. Abstract: The Art of Design

Netflix

Okay, something about this Netflix documentary is seriously calming and satisfying. Abstract: The Art of Design looks at the creative processes of artists and designers from all different fields. If you’ve been experiencing a bit of a creative block, this show is super inspiring. The series covers nearly every discipline: illustration, footwear, set design, automotive design — you name it. Getting to see all of the labor and creative talent that goes into some of the everyday objects we take for granted is seriously fascinating.